An uncertain Xmas for NSW public tenants

The Baird government has been accused of playing Grinch to Sydney public housing tenants for announcing the knockdown of their homes just before Christmas.

Premier Mike Baird announced on Wednesday that Waterloo's notorious public housing towers would be redeveloped and converted into a mix of social and private housing while making way for a new metro station.

Opposition social housing spokeswoman Tanya Mihailuk said the decision would leave thousands of tenants stressing about the futures of their homes over the festive season.

"It's the eighth day before Christmas and Premier Baird has announced he will tear down the homes of 4000 housing tenants," she said.

"This is certainly a very hard time for residents right before Christmas to be told they're losing their homes, it's devastating."

Planning Minister Brad Hazzard promised residents they would still have a place in Waterloo after the redevelopment dust had settled.

But opposition planning spokeswoman Penny Sharpe said the government had a bad track record of sticking to their public housing promises.

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"There's been lots of glossy brochures, lots of promises but when it comes to public housing tenants, Brad Hazzard has been a snake oil salesman who makes all these promises but delivers little," she said.

A government spokeswoman said the sale of Millers Point housing had delivered 1500 more social housing residences across Sydney, and defended the increase of private housing in the Waterloo area.

"By redeveloping at a ration of 70 per cent private/30 per cent social you get much better outcomes, e.g. a big reduction in crime," she said.